Travellin' Soldier
by silentmuse24
Summary: AU. Set to song by the Dixie Chicks. It's 1960, and Casey and Derek meet in a diner, before Derek ships out to fight the Vietnam War. What will happen? Dasey/Masey. FEED THE BARD! REVIEW!


**Disclaimer:** I OWN NOTHING!!!

**A/N:** Hey everyone!! Okay, so I havent had my laptop for a while, and I'm about to leave it again because of my own training. Anyway, hope you enjoy!! Please remember to FEED THE BARD!!

--x--

_****1998****_

"Lori! Look what I found!" A small brunette with bright blue eyes, pink cheeks and pigtails ran over to an older child in her summer dress, also with blue eyes, but her hair was darker, almost black.

"What is it?"the older girl, Lori, asked, squatting in the grass with a few yellow daisies in her hand that she'd been tying in a knot for a crown.

"It was in Nana's bedroom, it has lots of pictures, can you tell me who they are?"the smaller girl asked, sitting on the warm grass as well, out in the sunshine behind the tall red brick home.

"Nana wont like that you were snooping through her stuff again, Annie,"Lori scolded, but couldn't resist the grin and sat next to her sister.

The book was old, and had a thin layer of dust on the cover, but it wasn't worn, immediately noting that it had not been opened in many years. Lori blew the cover and watched the dust particles fly into the wind, away from them, some tickled her nose. She opened the cover and noticed that all the pages only held one photo each, the first was a black and white photo of an old diner, that almost looked like a big 1940's bus without wheels, large neon letters along the roof of the bus read,

_'SULLIVAN'S DINER'_.

"Wonder if they have places like these anymore,"Annie whispered, noticing the old fashioned cars and some old bicycles sitting out, along the parking area, a few people, dressed in suits that the girls thought looked like Sunday church wear, were entering and exiting, unaware of the camera pointed at them. Flipping the page, another photo appeared, it was of a beautiful young waitress, her dark hair was twisted up into a messy bun, wearing a checkered outfit that looked rather silly, and a nametag over her breast that read _Casey M._

"Is that Nana?"Annie asked, aghast at how beautiful the woman in the photo looked.

"Dunno, lets go ask,"Lori said, closing the book, and offering her hand to the little girl, who took it eagerly. The two raced up to the brick house and entered the door with loud, happy yells.

"_Nana! Nana!_"they squealed. An elder woman at the stove, jumped at the sound and turned around, eyes wild as she spotted her granddaughters. Her face was wrinkled with age, but did nothing to hide her exhuberant beauty, her eyes were the shade of a clear summer sky and her hair sat on her shoulders, in rather thick, rich brunette waves, that were lined with streaks of gray.

"Lori, Annie, be careful, you're grandfather is asleep in the next room!"she hushed her granddaughters as they giggled and hugged her, she only smiled and then reached back for her tea on the counter. "What, may I ask, are you two giggling over? You aren't burying my earrings in the sandbox again are you?"she only half-joked.

"We said we were sorry about that, Nana,"Lori defended.

"Nana, we found this!"Annie held up the book and the grandmother's blue eyes widened at the cover, noticing immediately what it was.

"Annie found it, you mean,"Lori scolded. "Nana, we didn't mean to snoop, we just wanted to see some pictures, but we dont know who or what they are-"Lori said, the grandmother took the photo album in her well-manicured hand and sat down at the table, the girls scrambled to push their stools up toward their grandmother and watched her eyes sweep over the cover.

"I nearly forgot I had this, where did you find it, Annie?"the grandmother asked.

"In a shoebox beneath a floorboard in your closet,"Annie said, the grandmother raised a single eyebrow in question. Lori rolled her blue eyes.

"You dont leave out anything d'you?"she asked.

"She asked me!"Annie fought back.

The grandmother however, ignored her bickering grandchildren and opened the first page and gave a small gasp and a smile, her thin nose crinkled the crows feet near her beautiful azure eyes.

"My goodness, Sully's Diner,"she breathed.

"That's a restaurant, Nana?"Lori asked, peeking over her shoulder at the photo. The grandmother nodded.

"This is a diner that used to be in business way back before your time, this was the first place I ever worked,"she flipped the page and the photo of the waitress appeared, she smiled. "See? That was me when I worked there, I was only seventeen." Annie and Lori gaped at the photo of the beautiful young waitress in her uniform, and then glanced at their grandmother.

"Casey M.,"Annie read the nameplate.

"That was my name, Casey McDonald,"the grandmother responded.

"But then why is Daddy's name Derek Miller?"Lori asked.

"And your's too!"Annie responded.

"Because, girls, your grandfather's name is Max Miller, and I took Miller as my name when I married him,"Casey said. (**AN: I know that Max and Casey break up in the series, just go with it!**)

Casey went to flip the page and the black and white photo of a creekbed, taken from the center of a long pier stretching out into it, appeared. The creek was lined with seagrass and the bank across was lined with pines and spruces, but it was open and sunny.

"Whats this, Nana?"Annie asked, pointing at the creek.

"Hush, she'll tell you!"Lori snipped. Annie poked her tongue out childishly.

"This was a creek near my home back in Newfoundland, it was one of my favorite spots in the world to go when I needed to get away from my mother or my sister,"Casey explained to her granddaughters.

"You had a sister, Nana?"Annie asked.

"I bet she was as annoying as Annie, wasn't she?"Lori prodded, grinning.

"Lori, thats not nice, and yes, Annie, I _did_ have a sister, her name was Elizabeth, but everyone, including myself called her Lizzie,"she flipped a page and there was an even older black and white photo of a younger Casey, with her arm around the shoulder of a younger girl with the same dark hair, a rounder face, and light eyes, freckles lined her nose. "That's Lizzie,"she pointed.

"Where is she?"Annie asked.

"She lives with her husband in Montreal, she hasn't been to Newfoundland since our mother died,"Casey stated, more to herself than to her kids.

"New page,"Annie prodded, flipping, and then Casey was floored by the next image.

"Ooh, who's this? Is that _grandpa_?!"Annie asked, plucking the photo out of its shell.

It was an old black and white army photo of a young man with sandy hair, a strong jaw, staring at the camera with a serious look on his features, his cover was properly set on his head, casting a shadow over his dark eyes, yet warm eyes.

"Derek Venturi, 1960,"Annie read the back of the photo slowly.

"Who's he, Nana?"Lori asked, intrigued by the handsome gentleman. Casey took the photo from her granddaughter and stared for a good minute at the gentleman in the photo, feeling her throat tighten with emotion that had been long ago, vanished from her mind by force, as she suddenly began to remember all the specific details.

"Nana?"Lori asked, gently, placing her small hand over Casey's. Casey's blue eyes snapped from their daze and she gave her eldest granddaughter a gentle, forced smile.

"This isn't your grandfather, this is a dear, very dear friend of mine, a young man I knew a long way back, his name was Derek Venturi,"Casey explained.

"Derek, like Daddy!"Annie smiled, as if she'd put a puzzle together all by herself. Casey felt her eyes sting with moisture at her youngest granddaughter.

"Yes, your father was named after him, in his honor, and if you promise not to tell your grandfather about that, I'll tell you both a story..."she promised.

The girls' blue eyes both lit up like a Christmas tree at the promise of a story, they both zipped their lips and waited eagerly for their grandmother to begin. She placed the photo of Derek in its place again and flipped the page to another photo, this one was of herself and Derek Venturi, sitting alongside one another at the fishing pier, Derek lounged in his Army greens, he was jokingly putting his cover on Casey's head, where it sat lopsided due to its size, photo-Casey's face was bright with laughter as she tried to straighten the hat and Derek tried to keep it where it was, the insignia on his uniform stated he was no higher than a PFC, or E-3 in lamence terms. The next photo was that of Derek standing near the bus doors, with his camobag on his shoulder, with Casey putting his cover on, over his sandy curls, the two of them staring longingly at one another.

"Nana, a letter!"Lori said, pulling a snippit of paper out from a few pages down that had snuck out from between the sheets, and Lori opened the old paper up to see fine hand-writing that she could not read well. Casey smiled and pulled Annie into her lap and reached for the letter...

"This was the first letter Derek sent to me, from an Army Camp out in California in 1960,"Casey stated, reading the headline.

"What's California?"Annie asked, confused.

"It's a state in America,"Lori stated, smiling winningly. Casey nodded.

"Thats correct, the letter reads _My Dearest Casey..._"

--x--

_****1960****_

_Two days past eighteen_

_he was waitin for the bus_

_in his Army greens_

_sat down at a booth_

_in the cafe there,_

_gave his order to a girl_

_with a bow in her hair..._

Eighteen-year-old Private First Class Derek Venturi stood impatiently waiting near the bus stop for his ride out to the United States to join up with the ranks of the American Army out in San Diego. He was already in his greens, his pants, shirt, tie, name badge, ribbons, insignia and his cover, his only bag was the duffel sitting upright on the bench beside him as he kicked his shined service shoes. He'd been waiting for over two hours for the bus to show up and take him, but none such luck as the morning wore on til the afternoon arrived and his stomach began to growl in hunger, a half-mile down the road, he could barely make trace for the outline of a diner, and he decided that he'd just have to try his luck and grab a bite, no sense going hungry as he knew it was a straight shot trip from Vancouver to San Diego.

He grabbed his duffel and swung it over his shoulder, marching over toward the diner, that had bright red neon letters along the top of the bright blue and silver bus reading _SULLIVAN'S DINER_, he tipped his hat to a young woman leaving the diner as he entered and then removed his cover as he looked around the old fashioned diner. It was rather spacious inside, with nothing more than a row of booths, a bar and a kitchen fit into the cramped space, he found an empty seat, slung his duffel into the booth before taking his place beside it and waiting, keeping his well trained brown eyes out the window for any sign of his bus. However, his thoughts were momentarily distracted when a menu was placed before him and a sweet, honey-like voice chided,

"What can I get ya, sir?"his face swivelled at the sound and his jaw slackened at the sight of a beautiful young waitress before him, wearing her blue checkered outfit, her nameplate read _Casey_, she had a beautiful, heart-shaped face that resembled porcelain for its perfection, her almond-shaped eyes were his favorite shade of cerulean blue and her dark, chestnut hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the curls falling down toward her shoulder, tied up with a red bow ribbon. She had a pen and menu pad in hand, staring at Derek, patiently.

"Uhm-"he felt his cheeks darken with embarrassment at having been stunned by her beauty, but blinked and looked back at the menu. "Whats good here?"he asked, his voice shaky. He noticed his hands trembled a bit and his eyes shot back out the window as the young waitress began to speak again, telling him all about the specials, and in a split second, he realized that he was almost afraid to leave the diner, despite that the bus wasn't there yet, he wanted this moment to just stop right where it was.

"..and then we have an excellent berry cobbler-"Casey stated.

"Tell you what, I'll take a tuna fish on rye, toasted, and a pop, but.. uhm-"he said, trying to find the audacity to look up.

_He's a little shy_

_so she gives him a smile_

_and he said would you mind_

_sittin down for a while_

_and talkin to me?_

_I'm feelin a little alone._

Casey smiled at the handsome young Private who'd entered, she'd almost been eager to drop her order right there and take his, but nonetheless, had to serve the apple pie to the elder customer who'd been there first, as quickly as she could, so she could help him. She wasn't sure what her rush was, she knew she had a boyfriend, a handsome, wealthy one at that, but something about this handsome stranger lulled her.

"Yes?"she asked, gently.

"Would you- I mean, I'm about to leave here soon-- and I'm feeling a bit alone.. would ya mind just sittin here with me for a while? Talkin, thats all,"he asked, shyly, staring up at the beautiful waitress. Casey's smile widened, but she was mindful of the lines she had not yet crossed. She glanced over behind the counter and noticed the time, quarter til two.

"I cant right this second, but I get off in about an hour and I know where we can go and chat,"Casey stated, with a smile and Derek nodded, handing her his menu, and prayed now that the bus he'd eagerly waited for, not hurry.

_She said I'm off in an hour and I_

_know where we can go..._

Derek ate his meal in silence, mostly watching Casey flitter about, taking orders and placing them in front of everyone, she checked in on him throughout his meal to make sure everything was as he'd liked, and he was more than pleased, though he knew he'd had better tuna, he hardly noticed anything bad about it at all as everything seemed right as long as that beautiful waitress smiled. Finally, it was three o'clock and Casey pulled her apron off and loosened her hair some, so a few bangs could fall. She allowed Derek to pay for his order and he kindly tipped her, before she led him off, by the hand toward a pier, not too far down the road.

"I have to keep an eye out for my bus, ma'am,"he stated, kindly.

"No worries, that bus always shows up 'round six, every day, helps get past rush hour traffic,"Casey smiled, lacing her fingers with his as they headed toward the large creekbed. Derek couldn't find it in himself to worry whether the girl could be mistaken, as he enjoyed the soft touch and her wide smile.

_So they went down and they sat_

_on the pier_

_He said I betcha got a boyfriend_

_but I dont care_

_I got no one, to send a letter to_

_Would ya mind if I sent_

_one back here to you?_

Derek laughed as Casey seemed to just be at ease with him, spouting off joke after endless joke, ones that he'd never heard, and were endlessly taken with. Normally his younger brother, Edwin, had always been the one to tell jokes in his family, but he could never quite understand them, as his brother was often a nerd, his younger sister, Marti, however, was always the character. Casey, however, was different in every way, he could not keep the smile off of his face.

"A painter? Why a painter?"Derek asked, curious after hearing what Casey wanted to be as a child. Casey laughed.

"Because its the one thing, other than taking orders, that I'm _good _at, I'm passionate about it, I have so many paintins in my room, it drives my mother _insane_,"Casey laughed.

"You'll have to show me a couple sometime, I may even buy them,"Derek laughed. Casey smacked his arm playfully.

"So what's your business here in our small town, soldier?"Casey asked. Derek sighed, lounging back, tossing a pebble off into the water.

"Leavin,"he deadpanned. Casey frowned. "My bus to San Diego is comin, I'm off to an Army camp to train 'fore I go out to Vietnam,"Casey's eyes widened.

"Well, bless your heart, I dont know many here that would wanna help the American's fight the war, many are even leavin the States to come here now, just to avoid their draft!"Casey stated.

"Yeah, well, someone's gotta do whats right, so it can just end and be done with-"Derek stated, seriously.

"But aren't you afraid? I mean.. my Dad survived World War II, but he wasn't the same person when he came home,"Casey recalled how her father was more distant after his return from Japan, how he would have short tempers with their mother and often drink himself into a stupor just to sleep without having a nightmare. Lizzie, her sister, would often crawl into bed with Casey at night, just so she could feel safe sleeping after their father had hit her one night for no reason.

"To tell you the truth, Casey-"Derek looked into Casey's bright, sad blue eyes. "I'm terrified,"he whispered. Casey reached over and took Derek's hand from his knee and laced their fingers together, he stared at their twined digits and gave a small smile.

"D'you have to go?"she asked, solemnly. Derek gave a weak smile.

"No turnin back once you sign the dotted lines,"Derek stated. "Besides, I dont really have nothin here no more, my Ma died a couple years ago from cancer, my Dad, he's doin' his best tryin to raise me, my brother and my sister on his own, he needs me to do this so I can bring home a bit of money, plus I'm one less mouth to feed."

"Dont say that,"Casey said, sadly. "I'm sure your siblings and your Dad will miss you somethin' fierce." Derek smiled.

"I dont doubt that, but I aint got no one else, besides them, especially to write to-"he said, squeezing Casey's hand tighter. "Listen, I bet ya probably got a good lookin boyfriend, Hell, even a fiancee- but, I dont, and would you mind if I sent a letter or two back here to you?"

Casey didn't even have to open her mouth to speak the answer, as Derek noticed her features brighten at the thought of having a pen pal.

"I _do_ have a boyfriend, but I would be honored to write to you, I'll write everyday if you want,"Casey smiled. Derek laughed, he pulled off his cover and put it on her head, she laughed as it lopsided from the size being too large.

"Hold on, I need a photo,"Derek said pulling out a small photo-camera and letting the flash go off as he pointed it toward the two of them.

"What was that for?"Casey giggled.

"To remind me which girl I'm talkin to,"he joked. Casey gave him a mock-frown and then smacked his chest dissaprovingly.

"Do that and I wont write at all,"Casey lied.

They had a few strangers pass them by and had them take photos of them sitting by the pier, laughing, as they talked of their hopes, fears, dreams, aspirations, by the time the sun began to set, they noticed that it was getting close for the bus' arrival and Casey felt a pang in her gut at the thought of letting Derek leave, she knew that she'd miss him terribly, and that she'd made quite an outstanding friend. Casey walked with him all the way to the bus stop where, sure enough, a bus was waiting, a few soldiers were already getting on, Casey stopped a man to take a photo of Derek and herself, one last time, before she placed the cover on his head as he held his duffel and kissed his cheek.

"You take care of yourself, you hear me?"Casey whispered to him, over the roar of the bus engine, Derek's brown eyes were sincere, as he nodded and thanked her for a wonderful afternoon. He then pulled his dog tags out from his pocket and took one off, handing it to her.

"I want you to have this-"he said. "To remember me by."

"Derek, you need these,"Casey said, choking up, as he pressed it into her palm.

"Take it, they'll assign me new ones,"Derek smiled, curling her fingers over the piece of metal in her hand.

"If you want me to remember you, send me a photo of you in your uniform, and I'll write to you everyday, I promise,"Casey smiled, despite her judgement, a lone tear escaped her eye and Derek caught it with his calloused thumb, he smiled.

"I'll keep you to that,"he then leaned down and surprised them both by pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

It was nothing special, nothing heated or even remotely sexual, just a simple graze of lips, sending an electric shock between the two of them, as Casey had to crane her neck to meet his sultry kiss. It was over no longer than it had begun and she watched him with sad blue eyes as he boarded the bus and his own, fearful, yet deminishing brown eyes followed her until the bus was gone, round the corner, and the two were seperated.

--x--

_****1998****_

"He kissed you?"Lori asked, aghast. Casey smiled at her young granddaughter.

"It was only a goodbye kiss, my dear, I didn't think I'd ever see him again, and even if I did, I was already engaged within the next few months, to your grandfather,"Casey reminded her granddaughters, who were eyeing her skeptically.

"So what happened?"Annie asked.

"Well, as I had promised, we wrote back and forth to one another..."

--x--

_****1961 - 1964****_

_So the letters came from an Army Camp_

_in California_

_then Vietnam and he told her of his heart_

_might be lovin' all of the things_

_he was so scared of..._

_Dearest Casey,_

_I got your letters today, sorry its been a week since I've last replied, but I've been awful busy_

_tied up with training new recruits before my unit ships out to Vietnam. Dont worry, I'm very safe right now._

_You wont believe how beautiful San Diego is, I think I may even move down here when I get back from _

_overseas. I'll have to come and bring you with me, I think you'd like the sun, its always shining, just like your_

_smile. I must go.. but remember I send all my love, take care._

_PFC Derek Venturi._

_Casey,_

_I've just arrived in Kontum, South Vietnam. It's rather rough already, we've set camp, I cannot say too much_

_due to fear of interferance with this letter. But please keep writing, I must say that I miss hearing your voice, and_

_I will admit, that despite knowing you are otherwise engaged, when it gets rough over here, I can close my eyes_

_and I'm back on the pier that day in Vancouver, with you at the creek, the sun shining in your hair and your_

_eyes are alight, and my heart aches to see your pretty smile again. I've been promoted up to SSgt already, I guess_

_its because we've lost a lot of leaders here recently, our Captain was killed last week in a mortar raid._

_I must go, but keep writing me, you're my anchor to this world in these rough times. I cannot wait_

_to be near you again._

_SSgt Derek Venturi._

_He said when its gettin kinda rough_

_over here, I think of that day_

_sittin down at the pier and I close_

_my eyes, and see your pretty smile_

_Casey,_

_I cannot say much now, we are about to invade a huge group in the North. I wont be able to write for_

_a while, but please do not let that stop from interfering with your letters, I still enjoy hearing from you. I hope_

_you are well and that I will be back soon. All my love to you._

_CMSgt Derek Venturi._

_Dont worry but I wont be able to_

_write for a while..._

--x--

_****1998****_

"He loved you, didn't he Nana?"Lori asked. Casey smiled, a tear gathering in her eye.

"Yes, baby, he did, and I loved him, too, very much,"Casey stated, folding the letter up.

"Read us another one, Nana,"Annie said, intrigued.

"I cant, my darling, there are no more,"Casey said.

"He stopped writing,"Lori recalled the final letter. Casey nodded.

"What about you, Nana? Did you write him?"Annie asked. "Tell us!"she begged.

"Stop being so nosy, Annie!"Lori scolded.

"It's alright, Lori, yes, Annie, I wrote.. everyday, as promised, even as my wedding to your grandfather grew closer-"

--x--

_****1965****_

An older woman with rich, dark brunette hair resting on her shoulders, flitted about, a glass of wine in her gloved hands as she scrutinized the woman who was fitting Casey's wedding dress.

"Can you take an inch off there?"Nora McDonald asked.

"Mom, are you trying to suffocate her?"Lizzie McDonald interrupted, helping hold up the back of the dress as the seamstress continued her work.

"Thanks, Lizzie, Mother, really, do I have-"

"Casey, you're getting _married_ next week! I dont see why its even taken this long-"

"Mom, I told you, I just wanted to make sure that Max knew what he was doing!"Casey snapped, blushing, in actual reality, she'd been holding off on the wedding for as long as possible, praying that her dream would appear, Derek, clad in his uniform, still only eighteen, to sweep her away and take her with him to California as he'd once promised.

"Three years is a bit extreme, Casey, you're practically an old maid!"Nora groaned, taking a sip, rather a slug, of her brandy.

Casey turned her head gently to meet eyes with her younger sister, who only looked at her, shaking her head, but her eyes translated that she couldn't argue with that fact. Lizzie was almost set to be eighteen and was already engaged to her High School sweetheart, Jaime.

"How's my blushing bride-to-be?"came a rich voice. Casey looked in the lengthwise mirror at her fiancee', Max Miller III, son of flamboyant rich tycoon Max Miller Sr., a wealthier-than-God wine distiller that Max was soon to take over. Max was well-built, stocky, yet handsome, with fine, neat jet-black hair and kind blue eyes, and an olive skin tone, he was every woman's fantasy these days; rich, tall, dark and handsome.

"Max, you aren't supposed to be up here! It's bad luck!"Casey went crimson.

"That's only seeing the bride before her wedding day, Case',"Lizzie corrected, Casey glared at her.

"Max! Please be a dear and agree with me, shouldn't there be just an inch less right here at the front? I mean, really, thats just a bit too chesty, darling!"Nora tried to argue her point.

Max only smiled, and Casey pled with her eyes for him not to agree.

"I think it looks perfect the way it is,"he kissed Casey's cheek and she smiled, gently at him. Nora rolled her eyes in anger at being shot down. She always hated not getting her way. It wasn't that Casey didn't love Max, he was her best friend, they'd grown up together and he had always taken care of her, she couldn't just not agree to marry him, she knew that he would always respect her and cherish her, but her heart, always screamed at her for she knew that it belonged to a certain young man who was far away, fighting a war that nobody wanted to anymore. The doorbell sounded.

"I'll get it,"Nora groaned.

"Allow me,"Max interrupted and left Nora to stay seated, he pecked Casey's cheek once more. "Be right back,"he promised silently, she thanked him with a nod.

It was true, that only less than two minutes later, they heard the slow approach of Max's feet on the stairwell outside the room, before Max appeared at the door, looking somewhat solemn, his eyes were downcast, in his letter was a telegram. Casey immediately turned, ruining the seamstress' concentration.

"What's that, Max?"Lizzie asked, cautiously.

"A telegram for Casey,"he asked, almost hurt, and confused, he looked up at Casey, who stared at the telegram, her heart thrumming in her chest painfully, almost wanting to break out of her ribcage and tear itself apart as he handed her the telegram with shaky hands. Opening it, she hardly noticed the sound of a strangled cry, that sounded like an animal dying, before she realized it had escaped her throat, at the words...

_Casey McDonald,_

_We were informed that you had close contact with CMSgt Derek M. Volturi. We regret to inform you_

_that he has been Killed In Action, and his body is being sent home for burial on 29 Jun 1965 at Newfoundland_

_Central Park, his family requests your presence at the funeral, which will be led in by a marching band_

_to help honor those lives that were lost in combat overseas in the Vietnam War._

_We are sorry for your loss._

_Christian J. Ford_

_Colonel. U.S. Army._

She felt her world spin around her before two arms were wrapped around her and she fought with her conscious to free herself from them before realizing she had fallen from grace and into Max's arms, where he was patiently waiting to see if she was okay, she did not hear the sounds of worry from her sister, the bitching from the seamstress or the uncanny attitude her mother was giving the seamstress for being a bitch.

"Derek.."

_One Friday night at a football game_

_Lord's prayer came and the anthem sang_

_and a man said "Folks, can you bow_

_your heads, for a list of local Vietnam dead"..._

Max had been gracious to put the wedding off for one more week so they could attend the funeral for those who'd died, they announced the names, one after the next, of those who'd joined the Canadian Army alongside the U.S. to help fight off the troops, when Derek's name sounded throughout the stadium, she nearly collapsed into herself, as tears continued to stream down her face, her heart shattering inside her chest at the painful reminder of her beloved soldier, who she'd never see again.

_Cryin all alone under the stands_

_was a piccolo player in the marchin band_

_and one named Red, but nobody really cared_

_But a pretty little girl with a bow in her head..._

Casey remembered briefly, meeting Derek's father, George, brother, Edwin, and sister, Marti, and talking to them gently about Derek, as the soldiers awarded the Venturi family with a folded American flag in honor of their brother/son's duty. The soldier had also turned to Casey, after realizing who she was and offered her a simple chain with one dogtag on it, Casey realized that Derek had never replaced his other tag, and had waited for them to be reunited again, she took the tags in his honor and placed her own on his and wore it around her neck, even on her wedding day. Max did not object, he knew how much Derek had meant to Casey, and even offered to break off the wedding if it meant anything to her. But Casey knew that she had a duty to herself, and to her family, and she knew that Max loved her, and she loved Max, though her heart would never fully be whole again, she married him, that coming week, the Venturi family had shown up, out of a courteous invite, and Derek Venturi's memory forever lived on in the heart of Casey McDonald-Miller.

--x--

_****1998****_

"He _died_?"Annie asked, feeling her own face choke with tears. Lori had silent tears already running down her face and Casey grabbed tissues, drying off her granddaughters' faces before tending to her own.

"Yes, my love, Derek died in action during a raid in North Vietnam in 1965, he was only twenty-three,"Casey remembered.

"But thats not fair, he was supposed to come back and you two get married and live happy ever after!"Annie defended. Casey smiled.

"Life doesn't always work the way we want it to, baby,"she said.

"So you married grandpa,"Lori chirped, quietly.

"Yes, I married Max a week later, and I wore Derek's dogtags to the wedding, despite my mothers' protests that it was the upmost unlady-like and a vile thing to do, Max understood every bit, and even to this day, understands that my heart belonged to Derek the moment I met him,"Casey stated.

"But.. if Derek was your true love, why marry grandpa?"Lori asked.

"Well, my darlings, life will never turn out the way you plan, but you have to realize that no matter how horrible life is, even after you've lost your other half, there is always someone who can come along and make that better. You're grandfather did that for me, and if it weren't for him, I'd have never been blessed with such wonderful granddaughters,"she hugged Lori and Annie to her, Annie giggled, Lori still looked confused.

"This is one of those adult things I just have to wait and learn about, isnt it?"asked Lori.

"Yes, darling, it is,"the door out in the living room opened and shut.

"Mom? Pop?"came a deep voice.

"Daddy!"Annie squealed and scrambled out of her grandmothers' arms, Lori also got down and ran for her father. The dark-haired man with bright blue eyes stepped in where Casey could see him and he hoisted Annie up.

"There's my girls, hey Mom,"he kissed Casey on the cheek.

"Derek, good to see you, you're fathers' asleep-"

"I saw, passed out in front of the game again,"he laughed, he looked to Lori, who was attatched to his leg. "Did you behave this time?"

"I just finished telling them the story of Derek,"she smiled at her son.

"Ah, the guy I'm named after, eh? Alright then, well Jen's in the car, so, we best get, Lori, go grab you and your sisters' things, sorry we cant stay-"Derek kissed his mothers' cheek.

"No, its fine, I think I need the time to myself anyway,"Derek looked at his mother, accusingly.

"They were _fine_, nothing that I own is missing, yet,"Casey smiled. Derek nodded.

"Alright, girls, lets hit the road, long ways til we reach Pasadena, bye Mom, tell Dad I stopped by,"Derek held the door open for Lori, who stumbled down the stairs with the girls' bags.

"I will, bye darling,"she closed the door and then went back to the kitchen, passing her snoring husband.

Looking in the book she turned to the final page, where there was a photo of a slightly older Derek, in his camoflauge, wearing a kevlar helmet, a box of cigarettes were tied to the side, his face was filthy, his head shaved, his blue eyes shadowed by nights of very few hours of sleep, yet his smile was still genuine as he sat up against a dirt hill, M16 in hand, boots and lower legs caked with mud, and a duffel beside him, sitting in the pocket, sticking out, was a thick patch of letters, all from her, that he kept with him, his dogtag was hanging out from his neck near his name patches on the shirt that read VENTURI, U.S. ARMY.

A letter on the page adjacent to her, in unfamiliar handwriting read...

_19 Sept 1965._

_Ms. Casey McDonald,_

_You dont know me, but I'd have to say, after hearing Derek speak of you, I'd surely know_

_you anywhere. My name is Sam Davis, I met Derek in boot camp and I'm essentially from the same_

_area as him in Canada, and we remained good pals. The reason for my writing you is, as you've probably_

_come to know, Derek was killed in action, roughly four months ago, in Ha Tay, N. Vietnam. A sniper _

_managed to hit his juggular artery and he bled out in my arms._

_He died, wanting you to know that he loved you with every fibre of his being, he asked me to _

_write you this, in hopes you'd believe the word of his comrade, that he'd "known you were the one since_

_that day in the diner." I know now that you are possibly married, and probably find Derek a fool for having_

_ever loved you, but I'd never heard him speak of anything less than you, almost every waking hour of our_

_day, he clung to your memories and letters like a beacon, and he died a hero, saying that you were the reason_

_he was fighting for._

_Though he probably didn't want me to tell you this part, he had many dreams of you two together,_

_moving to California, starting a family, living on love, as my own father called it. Needless to say, I hope that_

_this letter finds you well, and please know, that my best friend has asked me to write you this, as a promise to_

_him, I did, and I ask you honor his wishes by at least accepting that he loved you dearly. Best wishes to you_

_and your family._

_Corporal Samuel Davis_.

An errant tear fell from Casey's eye onto the aged paper, as she read the letter from her beloved's best friend, whom she managed to keep in touch with until he had been injured in combat, around 1969, and was sent home, he died a year later from gang green, Casey also attended his funeral, shortly after having given birth to her son, Derek Maxwell Miller.

_I cried, never gonna hold the hand of another guy_

_too young, and then they told her_

_You're waitin on the love of a travellin soldier_

_Our love will never end, waitin for the soldier_

_to come back again_

_Never more you'll be alone_

_when the letter said.. _

_A soldier's comin' home._

**xFINx**

* * *

**AN:** Yay!! Very sad, I know, but, what can I say, I'm a sucker for angsty romance!! lol. I hope you enjoyed, please remember to FEED ME REVIEWS!!!! thankiez! :)


End file.
